Sunday October 12, 2014 Monte Rio CA.

The day started out with a sore back

My back hurt pretty good when I got up this morning from the work I did moving the big gate yesterday. That meant, I had to lay on an ice pack for a bit to get it going this morning.

I decided to go down to Monte Rio to kayak today and head on down the river. I knew there would be lots of people on the river today and there were.

Staying cool at the boat ramp

When I arrived at the boat ramp, there were a bunch of kayakers fiddle farting around on the ramp, so I let them know I was there waiting to put in and I waited patiently and kept my cool.

Finally, one set of people got their boats in the water and I was able to back my car down to the water to unload my boat. Because of the sore back, I need to get close to the water to get my boat in the water these days. it’s certainly not like the old days when I could pack my boat a ways to the water.

I left the other people still fiddling around on the ramp and headed down river at a very leisurely pace.

I passed this male mallard duck just as I started off.

Fall Colors

Fall is certainly in the air and on the trees right now.

This was my view as I headed down the river just below Monte Rio.

Lots of reflections today as I paddled down the river.

Cassini Ranch

I took my time all the way down to the Cassini Ranch and pulled over in the green weeds to the left of this picture and spent about an hour sitting and watching. This is one of my favorite spots to sit and watch the big fish come over the Cassini Riffle, but right now the water is too high from the river’s mouth being closed so there is nothing to see. So, I just sat around and enjoyed the day.

I sat and waited for it to get a little later, hoping some of the people on the river would go home, before starting back up the river.

Rein’s beach

Here I am just below Rein’s Beach, headed up the river.

Since it is getting later in the day, the reflections were getting better.

Rein’s beach on the left as I paddled on by.

Just above Rein’s Beach going up the river.

Below Sheridan Beach, Big Redwood Stumps

Added information about the redwood stumps I found out the next day. Apparently, the Sonoma county water agency is putting stumps along the river in spots to improve fish habitat.

Just below Sheridan Beach, I spotted these big redwood stumps someone dumped along the river from the Sheridan Ranch. At first one might think this is a bad thing to dump these big stumps in the river, but in fact, a long time ago, the river used to be full of stumps and logs that make good fish protection, so these in fact are a good thing, although, they may all wash out to the ocean when the river comes up, but some may stick along the way and do some good.

Above the Villa Grande Hole

I stopped above the Villa Grande hole for a bit at this spot. Monte Rio is up ahead a bit.

And I stopped at this spot for a bit. It’s a nice reflection, but is a bit hard on the eyes. :O)

Ruffled Great Blue Heron

I heard this great blue heron jump out of the bushes it was staying  in all day. With the people leaving, it was time to get out again.

Just as it came out of the bushes and landed, it ruffled it’s feathers, so believe it or not, this is a great blue heron, ruffled.

Since I shot it not at it’s best, I thought another shot of the bird at it’s best was in order.

I bet I’ve shot that old bird a thousand times in my travels up and down the river.

Coming up on Monte Rio

I’m just below Monte Rio, almost back in this one.

Of course, there are real friendly ducks in the Monte Rio area. These two paddled right by as I paddled along.

Monte Rio

I made it up to here at Monte Rio and looked across at the boat ramp which is hard to see in this picture.

More boat ramp rage

A bunch of people where on the ramp and some guys were loading their boats on a truck, so I waited under the trees on the right, across the river from them for them to get off the ramp. I waited for about a half hour, then, I moved over closer to the ramp where they could see me. They ignored me, until I said Hi, nice day, eh?

They said hi, but ignored the fact that I wanted to get my boat off the water, so I waited patiently for a bit longer, with no sign of they hurrying to get off the ramp.

Finally, I said, do you know what boat ramp rage is, I’m getting close and they gave me some rude responses, like why couldn’t I go around them. I indicated I wasn’t as young as I used to be and had to get my car close to the water to load my boat, while trying to stay cool with these clueless people. They grumbled some more rude responses, but got on the way.

Some people are more considerate

Some other kayakers came in behind me and I advised them I’ve been waiting almost an hour and please give me some room. They understood and thought the other people where very rude, which they were.

Boat ramps are for getting boats on and off the water and there aren’t very many of them on the river, so it’s important to get off the ramps as quickly as possible, being considerate of others. If everyone took as long as these people only a few people could use the ramp each day.

As it was, I kept my cool mostly,which surprised the people coming in behind me, as they thought the other people were jerks.

But, I said to them, I come down here to enjoy myself and I’m not going to let these kinds of things get to me, too much.

Otherwise, it was a nice day kayaking on the Russian River, below Monte Rio.

Potatoes

When I got home, my brother the farmer of Armstrong Valley Farm came by and said there were some big white potatoes by his porch that I could have and I should plant them on top of the great ditch I dug and covered back up. He said if I planted them without cutting them up, I could get some bigger potatoes from them, so I planted most of them whole. Lucky the great ditch was still soft, so the planting was fairly easy, but stooping over, I can sure feel it in my legs.

Now, I wait for those potatoes to grow. I won’t have to do anything else to them, just wait for nature to work her magic. In the mean time, I have other ones getting big enough to eat now, so I’m in real good shape as far as potatoes are concerned.